One of the craziest recall elections we’ve ever witnessed is going down in Frederick, where some of the candidates to replace the elected officials are running on a campaign platform that goes something like this:
This recall election is stupid.
And, don’t vote for me.
What’s happening, is the mayor and four board members are up for recall on Sept. 5, and while some of those folks are also running for reelection to their recalled seats, more have jumped into the race to unseat them — about 15 total.
At least two of the candidates running for the recall seats don’t want the job, and at a recent candidate forum, another candidate called out the process as a waste of money.
The Times-Call reports candidate Lisa Hoxie criticized the recall cost of $20,000 as the “very definition of fiscally irresponsible.”
“This is an absolutely ridiculous waste of money,” she said. “If you don’t like (an elected official), you vote them out.”
Then there was Lyle SmithGraybeal, who told would-be voters “I’d rather not serve as your trustee,” then went on to explain that recall elections should only be held to address serious unethical or criminal behavior.
There’s a lot of speaking truth-to-power over there in Frederick, and their message is one that all voters should consider when going to the polls every Election Day.
Elected officials simply can’t do their jobs responsibly or properly, if they face the wrath of a recall because one side of every decision doesn’t get their way.
In this case, the recall organizer didn’t like the votes cast in favor of a four-story apartment building and a drive-in restaurant.
This recall election is truly a waste of money, and we expect many voters will just be throwing their ballot into the garbage can.